Surface

Problem

Solution

Brand Name or Products Needed

Acrylic hatches, portholes

Cleaning

Hazing that doesn’t come off with a normal washing with plastic or glass cleaner

Plastic/acrylic cleaner

Mixture of 1:1 vinegar and water. Wipe and dry.

STARBRITE Vinyl Polish & Cleaner, 

WEST MARINE Premium Vinyl Protectant, or 

• MEGUIAR’S no. 18 Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Cleaner/Polish
• Distilled white vinegar

Adhesives, tape

Remove sticky residue

Adhesive remover or denatured alcohol; take off with razor blade

• WEST MARINE Adhesive Remover
• Denatured alcohol
• Safety razor blades

Aluminum

Put shine back on aluminum fitting

Use aluminum polish or rub the fitting with the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil (warning: don’t do this with anodized aluminum; it will remove finish)

• Flitz Aluminum Cleaner
• Aluminum foil

Brass

Remove tarnish

Brass polish

• Flitz Liquid Metal Polish
• WEST MARINE One-Step Metal Polish

Canvas

Dirt, spots, and stains

Spray and scrub surface stains with a brush and dish detergent mixed with lots of water. If spots won’t come out, try spot remover on a small section to see if it works. I also have washed white canvas rail covers in the laundry with clothes detergent containing a bit of bleach. Our navy dinghy cover is also washable.

• Shout Stain Remover

• Goddard Dry Clean Spot Remover with brush cap

• WEST MARINE Waterproofing with PTEF, which waterproofs canvas, nylon, Sunbrella fabrics, and even leather

Ceramic or glass stove top

Cooked-on stains; burned

Scrape cooked-on stains gently with razor; use ceramic stove-top cleaner or Barkeepers Friend to clean and then dry with soft cloth

• CERAMA BRYTE Ceramic Cooktop Cleaner
• Whink Glass/Ceramic Cooktop Cleaner or Barkeepers Friend

Copper

Remove tarnish

Copper cleaner or lightly scrub the metal with the cut end of a lemon dipped in salt

• Flitz Liquid Metal Polish
• Fresh lemon
• Salt

Dusting

Remove dust, not just spread it around

Microfiber cloths
Lamb’s wool duster
Disposable dusting cloths

• Microfiber cloths
• Lamb’s wool dusters
• Pledge Grab-It Cloths

Fenders

Dirty white fenders

Mineral spirits rubbed on with a cloth, then rinsed. Don’t use acetone or abrasive cleaner because it makes them sticky and dulls their finish

• Recochem mineral spirits

Fiberglass boat exterior

Avoid damaging finish

Liquid detergent in warm, sudsy water.
If this doesn’t work,
try nonabrasive cleaner/compound. If those don’t work, use FSR or On & Off.

• Joy or Dawn
• Soft Scrub
• 3M or Starbrite Rubbing Compound
• Davis FSR Fiberglass Stain Remover
• Marikate On & Off

Interior stainless trim in galley (sink, refrigerator, stove, etc.)

Restore shine to spotted stainless

Stainless steel cleaner

• Starbrite or Flitz Stainless and Chrome cleaner

Leather

Restore shine and remove mildew

Weak solution of 3:1 water and alcohol, or
3M Leather & Vinyl Cleaner/Restorer, or MEGUIAR’S Gold Class Spray Leather Care and regular washing with saddle soap

• 3M Leather & Vinyl Cleaner
• MEGUIAR’S Gold Class Spray Leather Care
• Saddle soap
• Alcohol

Mini blinds

Dusty

Vacuum attachment

• Jobar Shutter and Blind Vacuum Attachment (at Target)

Nonskid fiberglass

Avoid abrading the finish

Bon Ami, Soft Scrub, or Barkeepers Friend with water and stiff-bristled brush, or FSR for stubborn stains

• Bon Ami
• Soft Scrub
• Barkeepers Friend
• FSR

Oil and tar

Remove without damaging surface

Scrape off residue; soak with dry cleaning fluid; if cleaning fabric, use rag soaked with fluid over and under stain to loosen, then pat spot to push tars and oils through to bottom rag
 

• Goddard Dry Clean Spot Remover with brush cap

PVC dinghies

Cleaning

Mineral spirits

• Recochem mineral spirits

Refrigerators, iceboxes, freezers, and ice chests

Clean and freshen

Multipurpose cleaner or thick paste of baking soda and water for stubborn spots. Leave an opened carton of baking soda inside to avoid odors.

• 409
• Arm & Hammer baking soda

Rugs

Remove stains

Use carpet stain removers

• 3M Fabric/Carpet Cleaner
• MEGUIAR’S Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner

Scratched acrylic portholes or windows

Remove minor scratches without damaging acrylic

Commercial products for removing minor scratches; mild toothpaste or peanut butter has same effect

• MEGUIAR’S no. 18 Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Cleaner/Polish
• Skippy creamy-style peanut butter
• Arm & Hammer toothpaste is a good rubbing compound

Shower

Mildew
Spotting on glass or doors

Tilex or daily mildew spray; use a squeegee after every shower to keep glass doors spotless

• 3M glass cleaner
• Tilex
• Squeegee

Stainless steel

Rusting and blotches

Stainless steel polish. Use oxalic acid in a gel form; when hosed off, it will remove rust stains.

• Prism Polish
• Flitz Metal cleaner
• WEST MARINE Oxalic Acid

Sunbrella fabric

Clean without damaging

Clean with mild soap and water. Use a soft-bristle brush to clean. Allow cleaning solution to soak into fabric, rinse, and air-dry. For stubborn spots use 303 cleaner then fabric guard to protect it.

• Ivory Snow,
• Dreft, or
• Woolite
• 303 Fabric Cleaner
• 303 Fabric Guard

Teak decking

Keeping it light while protecting the thickness of teak

Teak cleaner; scrub the cleanser into a thick paste and let it sit before hosing it off. Scrub across the grain, not with or against it. Let dry and then oil.

• INTERLUX Premium Teak Restorer
• INTERLUX Premium Teak Oil

Tinted windows

Avoid damaging the tinting but get windows clean

Glass Plus

• Glass Plus
• Squeegee

Upholstery and carpet

Stain removal

Follow product instructions

• Woolite Oxy Deep Spot & Stain Carpet Cleaner
• 409 Spray carpet cleaner

Vinyl cushion mildew

Remove mildew Avoid damaging

Mix 1/4 cup of ammonia with 4 cups water; scrub with brush (creases with toothbrush); rinse and dry. I mix 1 teaspoon of ammonia, 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, and 3/4 cup of distilled water.

• Ammonia
• Hydrogen Peroxide

Vinyl headliner and trim

Remove dirt and stains but keep shine

Wash with dish detergent and water; dry and use protectant

• 303 Aerospace Protectant

WOOD
Teak-and-holly sole,
Varnished bulkheads,
Cabinets

In the galley, cooking can dull the varnish on bulkheads and ceilings

Clean with wood soap or detergent (dishwashing liquid) and water. If dirty or sticky, remove with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits or a 3:1 mix of water and ammonia. Clean small areas at a time.

• Joy or Dawn
• Murphy’s Oil Soap
• Scott’s Liquid Gold
• Mineral spirits
• Ammonia